Everyone knew that the iPhone was going to be big from the
moment it was announced
in early January. Apple CEO Steve Jobs hailed the device as the ultimate in
mobile communications given that it could function as a phone, a mobile
Internet device and as an iPod.

As the months progressed, the hype mushroomed even though
the iPhone lacked a user-replaceable battery, physical keyboard, expansion
slot, voice dialing, A2DP, MMS, iChat, flash support, copy and paste ability
and video recording -- not to mention that the iPhone was tied solely to
AT&T.

It appears that all of the minuses stacked against the
iPhone weren't enough to phase buyers who lined up days in advance to purchase
the latest "it device" from Cupertino. Not even the $499 (4GB) and
$599 (8GB) price tags were enough to keep Apple from selling
around 525,000 iPhones from 6:00 PM Friday evening through close of
business on Sunday.

Nearly all of AT&T's stores were depleted of iPhone
stock by Saturday whereas Apple's retail stores are currently faring much
better (you can check iPhone availability here).

Apple's iPhone launch didn't go off glitch free, however.
Many users complained of activation problems with iPhone. The iPhone can be activated
through iTunes and the steady rush of users scrambling to activate their
phones overloaded AT&T's servers.

"We are working on any issues on an individual basis
with customers who were impacted," said Michael Coe, a representative for
AT&T.

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel noted that a "small
percentage" of customers were having activation issues. "Our first
priority is to get them up and rolling as quickly as we can," Spiegel
continued.

For its part in the matter, an Apple
spokesman simply said "There are a small percentage of iPhone
customers who have had a less than perfect activation experience."

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Because in the phone world there is the Nokia 95, for example, which has an awesome camera and video recording, plays mp3s and does loads of other cool stuff (although it doesn’t have a touch screen - but who cares).Also it can be obtained free as part of a contract can be used all over the world and looks damn sexy.I would also feel an idiot getting the iphone out in public as I join every body else with the same phone. It has no exclusivity in my eyes (how can it with half a million sold in such a short time) and I cant help but perceive the masses who have one because they think it makes them look cool, as being a bit sad because they need such a device to make them feel good about themselves (you know, the ones who have to make themselves and their ownership of such a device as obvious as possible). This is not directed at all owners of the iphone so please don’t all get upset and defensive (imo there is a difference between ownership of an elegant device for self gratification and owning a popular device with the intention of letting others know about it)

I have to confess in the mp3 world I am not an ipod fan and would probably choose a sandisk sansa e280 over a nano but it is a difficult choice. However given the disparities between the iphone and the N95 there is no choice for me – it would always be the N95. I am not saying the N95 is the best phone ever – I don’t really keep up with all the new phone releases but a friend has just obtained one (free as part of a contract) and I was very, very impressed by the pictures, videos, mp3 and 3D accelerated games and so much other stuff that I cant be bothered to detail it all.